Today we’d like to introduce you to Priscilla Black.
Priscilla, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’ve always been inclined to help others in need and felt a passion for pet care. I didn’t know it yet, but when a few friends with long work hours like mine formed a pet sitter’s club of sorts, it was the spark that would later become CHAUFUR Pet Services. We didn’t start out that way, but our careers had led us to increased responsibilities that were taking up the time we loved devoting to our pets. Our group rotated responsibilities of who would watch, walk, and take each other’s pets to appointments, daycare, pet supply runs, etc. Our work responsibilities, places of employment, and even our day-to-day hours were constantly changing, so I decided to take a position that allowed me to work from home two days a week, where I could establish a consistent schedule for caring for our pets during my lunch breaks. This also allowed me to take in additional pets from friends of friends in similar situations, and I happily did so because I realized that I had found a way to combine my love of helping people with my passion for pet care. After a few months of having all my lunch breaks booked up with trips to vet appointments, daycare visits, grooming sessions, and a few other tasks for these little balls of joy, I decided to dedicate myself to helping others full-time, and CHAUFUR Pet Services was born!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Every great idea worth pursuing always has its struggles, and our evolved method of supporting pet parents has had two main struggles that we continue to push through as pet parents learn more about the value of our service.
The first was the idea of giving pets independence; initially, achieving this was a challenge. Pets need consistent health care, physical activity, mental stimulation, and social interaction to not only live their best lives, but their longest, and the best way to do this is during your work hours! We understand the concern of having what will initially be a stranger entering your home to pick them up and drop them off, which is why we offer meet-and-greets to get to know your driver, as well as maintain constant communication of milestones as they are completed, so you know where your pet is and what they are doing throughout their trip. We especially love to work appointments with their vet, for grooming, training, therapy, and any other visits they need while you work or run errands, so you can spend quality time with them on your free time!
The second struggle has been changing the traditional practice of leaving our pets at home alone during work hours. Dogs, for example, have an olfactory clock that tells time not by how much of it is passing by, but by how much strength a scent has lost over that time. In other words, they don’t know how long someone has been present; they only know it’s been three hours since anyone had been around previously, and following their leave, the dog will base time on how long they’ve been gone before the next visit, and so on. Investing in one of our daycare packages to shuttle your Furbaby to and from the center while you work gives them the physical activity, mental stimulation, and social interaction they need, rather than sitting at home most of the day, anxious, inactive, and under-stimulated.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about CHAUFUR Pet Services?
We are a pet concierge and transit service that coordinates and schedules their appointments, including shuttle service for your furry companion to and from their destination in one of our Pawsenger Vans, customized to comfort pets of all shapes and sizes! Our customers love that we pick up and drop off at their homes, but we’re accommodating if they choose an alternative location. We provide the convenience of a mobile service with the flexibility to select your care provider and the peace of mind that they are local. If you’re moving to the next county, across the state, or to another state entirely, we also offer our transit services in what we call our extended service area, state-wide service area, and interstate service area, each differing only in cost calculations to keep our services fairly priced.
Transit Pricing for our local service area is based on a nominal trip fee plus miles and minutes from your choice of origin. Our extended service area begins approximately an hour from the center of our local service area, and is charged at an hourly rate. Our state-wide and interstate services are charged by the day. Pricing can be found on the Transit page of our website, where you can also find our additional convenience options: holiday, same-day, and after-hours booking. In addition to our national trip coverage and flexibility options, our customized Pawsenger vans are what we’re most proud of! So, when we’re initially interpreted as an Uber/Lyft for pets, we love walking pet parents through what sets us apart.
When your furry companion travels in our Pawsenger Van, everything is set up for their comfort before they even step inside. Ramps are set up to embark/disembark without straining their joints, and they are seated in one of our two types of cushioned pet beds; one that keeps them cool throughout the warmer seasons here in Florida, and another that keeps them warm during the chillier months, after which they are buckled into a safety harness. Once safely and comfortably in their seats, they can take advantage of healthy treats that we keep in our vans to reward our furry friends for being such great Pawsengers, and each seat has window access for those who love to feel the wind in their fur. Finally, though we hope we never need it, we are Pet CPR Certified and keep a first aid kit in our vehicles. In short, we go far beyond the typical taxi service for your Best Furiend because we care for them like our own. And we care for our pet parents, too! It reflects in our special rates, package deals, and referral rewards as an appreciation for their support of our business!
We offer special rates for Law Enforcement, Fire, EMS, and Healthcare workers, as well as for Active Duty Military Members and Veterans. Our Trip Credits are local round-trip bundle packages that can be purchased in quantities of 3, 5, or 10 at a lower cost, and are valid for 12 months following the purchase date. We also offer monthly daycare shuttle memberships based on travel distance, attendance frequency, and number of participating pets. The best part – our daycare shuttle memberships have a referral rewards program where households you refer that sign up for their own daycare shuttle membership earn you a 5% discount on yours! We also have a referral program for Pawsengers with Trip Credits. Referring a friend who completes a trip earns them a quarter credit. General referrals earn you a 15% discount on your next trip!
What matters most to you?
What matters most to us is the longevity and experiences of our Pawsengers. The formula is simple: consistent healthcare, good hygiene, physical activity, mental stimulation, and social interaction. We understand you do your best while also being busy, injured, or indisposed with what life throws at you from time to time, but that is why we are here! You don’t have to sacrifice any part of what will help you keep your Best Furiend by your side longer. Ensure they stay on track with their vet, groomer, and daycare, rewarding them occasionally with one of our enrichment field trips to expand their world into the one they’ve made better for you.
Pricing:
- Local Transit Service (up to 15 miles) = miles + minutes
- 3 Local Trip Credits = $139 (Round trips)
- 5 Local Trip Credits = $219 (Round trips)
- Enrichment Field Trips = $99 – 149
- Daycare Shuttle Memberships = Individually Customized
Contact Info:
- Website: https://chaufurmypet.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chaufurmypet
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chaufurmypet
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@chaufurmypet
Image Credits
CHAUFUR LLC
